Reel changer

ABSTRACT

Roll changer for feeding a material web wound on a material roll ( 2, 3, 4 ) into a web-processing machine having a support frame ( 1 ), in which at least one material roll ( 2, 3, 4 ) is mounted so it is rotatable around its rotational axis, at least three material rolls ( 2, 3, 4 ) being provided, whose rotational axes (R) are each oriented parallel to one another, and which are situated so they are pivotable around a shared pivot axis (D) parallel to their rotational axes (R). Preferably, a pair of support arms ( 6 ) is provided in each case for the rotatable mounting of the material rolls ( 2, 3, 4 ) around their particular rotational axis (R), between which the particular material roll ( 2, 3, 4 ) is mounted so it is rotatable, and which each project radially from the pivot axis (D) parallel to the particular rotational axis (R). According to the present invention, a roll drive ( 23 ) is provided in the unwinding area, which sets the material roll ( 2 ) located in the unwinding area into rotation, or brakes it.

The present invention relates to a roll changer for feeding a material web wound on a material roll into a web-processing machine having a support frame, in which at least three material rolls are mounted so they are rotatable, whose rotational axes are each oriented parallel to one another, and which are situated so they are pivotable around a shared pivot axis parallel to their rotational axes, in a first pivot position of the at least three material rolls, a material roll being located in an unwinding area, in which the material web may be fed to the web-processing machine from the affected material roll, and a further material roll being located in a charging area, in which the affected material roll is replaceable by a new material roll, by pivoting the material rolls around the pivot axis parallel to the rotational axis into a second position, the material roll being transferable from the unwinding area into the charging area, according to the preamble of Claim 1.

The material web may be a web-shaped film or also a web-shaped film bag, for example. Web-shaped materials of this type are typically wound onto material rolls, they being unwound from the material roll in the course of the processing in web-processing machines and then being processed into bags in bagging plants or being used for packaging products in packaging plants. The material rolls are held in roll changers, which are essentially support frames which have receptacles for the rotatable mounting of material rolls. If a material roll is consumed, a new material roll is brought into position.

he replacement of a material roll and/or a roll change therefore requires comparatively long shutdown times of the web-processing machine, which are caused by the removal of the old material roll and the introduction of a new roll, as well as the positioning and clamping of the free end of the new material roll for further processing in the web-processing machine. In addition, there are usually tight space conditions in plants of this type, which do not allow any alternative solutions for the synchronous placement of multiple new rolls, such as carousel or paternoster systems, or the lateral arraying of multiple rolls.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to ensure a sufficient stockpile of new material rolls in space-saving form, with which a rapid replacement of use of material rolls is to be possible. Such a roll changer is additionally to have a simple design and therefore to be producible cost-effectively. However, it is decisive that even heavy material rolls may be fed with the aid of a roll changer to a downstream processing machine. These objects are achieved by the features of Claim 1.

Claim 1 relates to a roll changer for feeding a material web wound on a material roll into a web-processing machine having a support frame, in which at least three material rolls are mounted so they are rotatable, whose rotational axes are each oriented parallel to one another, and which are situated so they are pivotable around a shared pivot axis parallel to their rotational axes, in a first pivot position of the at least three material rolls, a material roll being located in an unwinding area, in which the material web may be fed to the web-processing machine from the affected material roll, and a further material roll being located in a charging area, in which the affected material roll is replaceable by a new material roll, by pivoting the material rolls around the pivot axis parallel to the rotational axis into a second position, the material roll being transferable from the unwinding area into the charging area. According to the present invention, a roll drive is provided in the unwinding area, which sets the material roll located in the unwinding area into rotation, or brakes it. Depending on the type of operation of the roll drive, a material web may thus be unwound from the material roll, or also wound onto a material roll. The term “unwinding area” is therefore also to be seen in the meaning of “winding area”. According to Claim 2, the roll drive is a belt applied to the material roll.

By situating multiple material rolls pivotable around a shared pivot axis in a support frame, it is possible in particular to replace a material roll of the roll changer while the web-processing machine is served from another material roll. A sufficient stockpile of material rolls is first meaningfully ensured from three material rolls. In addition, the use of three material rolls, for example, allows a more compact and thus more space-saving construction of the roll changer than would be possible if two material rolls were used, for example.

An embodiment which allows for an easy construction of such a role changer is provided by claim 3, according to which a pair of support arms is provided in each case for the rotatable mounting of the material rolls around their particular rotational axis, between which the particular material roll is mounted so it is rotatable, and which each project radially from the pivot axis parallel to the particular rotational axis.

Specifically, it is advantageous after the transfer of a new material roll into the unwinding area of the roll changer if the free end of the material web located on this material roll has a defined position, to be able to feed it more easily and in particular in a more automatable way to the downstream plant sections of the web-processing machine. Therefore, claim 4 provides that a cantilever projects from each of the support arms, a pre-tensioning unit for receiving the free end of the material roll held by the affected pair of support arms being held between the cantilever of the support arms of a pair of support arms.

In regard to the embodiment of the support arms, the features of Claim 5 are advantageous, according to which those support arms which are located on the same side of the material rolls are implemented as a modular unit, which is mounted so it is pivotable around the pivot axis parallel to the particular rotational axes of the material rolls. This modular unit thus typically represents a roll star, through whose center the pivot axis parallel to the particular rotational axes of the material roll runs, and on whose ends facing away from the pivot axis the material rolls are held.

According to claim 6, a charging position may be defined by the material roll whose rotational axis is located in this position below the rotational axes of each of the other material rolls. The roll carrier may thus be charged with a new material roll as close as possible to the floor, which is entirely advantageous for the typically large weight of new material rolls.

For easier charging of the roll changer with new material rolls, in addition, the support frame may have an opening in the charging area, through which a new material roll is insertable in the direction of the rotation axis of the material roll located in the charging area, according to claim 7. This type of charging also reduces the space consumption of the roll changer according to the present invention, because the new material roll is thus introducible laterally into the support frame, and therefore there does not have to be a large clearance on the side of the roll changer facing away from the web-processing machine.

In such an embodiment according to claim 7, it is typically necessary to implement the support arms and the cantilevers as pivotable in relation to the other support arms so that a new material roll may be inserted laterally, however. In the course of mounting a new material roll, the support arm located in the charging area is folded away at least on one side, so that the lateral opening in the support frame is exposed for the insertion of a new material roll. After the lateral insertion of a new material roll, the support arm is folded back into its original position again, and the new material roll is mounted so it is rotatable between the two support arms.

Alternatively thereto, an embodiment according to claim 8 may also be provided, if the space conditions permit it, in which a new material roll is insertable in the charging area perpendicularly to the rotational axis of the material roll located in the charging area. The new material roll may thus be installed directly between the support arms located in the charging area.

For both embodiment variants it is advantageous according to claim 9 to provide a lifting unit in the charging area for material rolls located in the charging area. Using such a lifting unit, new material rolls, which sometimes have a significant weight, may be raised and installed in openings of the support arms, for example.

Furthermore, according to Claim 10, three material rolls may be provided, whose rotational axes define an equilateral triangle in their points of intersection with a plane perpendicular to the rotational axes. In an embodiment having radial support arms, two neighboring support arms thus enclose an angle of 120°.

The present invention is explained in greater detail in the following on the basis of the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of an embodiment of a roll changer according to the present invention in a first pivot position,

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the roll changer from FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration of the embodiment of a roll changer according to the present invention from FIG. 1 in an intermediate position during the transfer into a second pivot position,

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the roll changer from FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows a perspective illustration of the embodiment of a roll changer according to the present invention from FIG. 1 in a second pivot position,

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the roll changer from FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 shows a perspective illustration of the embodiment of a roll changer according to the present invention from FIG. 1 in the second pivot position, in which the consumed material roll has been removed in the charging area,

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the roll changer from FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 shows a perspective illustration of the embodiment of a roll changer according to the present invention from FIG. 1 in the second pivot position, in which a new material roll has been supplied in the charging area,

FIG. 10 shows a side view of the roll changer from FIG. 9,

FIG. 11 shows a detail view of the pre-tensioning unit and a part of the downstream intake device,

FIG. 12 shows a perspective illustration of a further embodiment of a roll changer according to the present invention,

FIG. 13 shows a side view of a further embodiment of a roll changer according to the present invention in a first pivot position, the charging area being implemented in such a way that a new material roll is insertable perpendicularly to the rotational axis of the material roll located in the charging area,

FIG. 14 shows a side view of the roll changer from FIG. 13 in a first pivot position and consumed material roll in the unwinding area,

FIG. 15 shows a side view of the roll changer from FIG. 13 in an intermediate position in the course of a rotation into a second pivot position, and

FIG. 16 shows a side view of the roll changer from FIG. 13 in a further intermediate position in the course of a rotation into a second pivot position.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of an embodiment of a roll changer according to the present invention in a first pivot position. The roll changer has a support frame 1, in which, in the embodiment shown, three material rolls 2, 3, 4 are held in such a way that their rotational axes R are oriented parallel to one another. Their rotational axes R define an equilateral triangle in their intersection points with a plane perpendicular to the rotational axes R. For the rotatable mounting of the material rolls 2, 3, 4 around their particular rotational axis R, a pair of support arms 6 is provided in each case, between which each of the material rolls 2, 3, 4 is mounted so it is rotatable. The material rolls 2, 3, 4 may be pushed onto roll bars 18 so they are rotatable, for example, which are inserted in lateral openings of the support arms 6 and fastened therein. The fastening of the material rolls 2, 3, 4 between each two support arms 6 may also be performed with the aid of axially sprung axle pins, however, which project laterally from the support arms 6 and engage in the roll axis of the particular material roll 2, 3, 4.

The support arms 6 are also mounted so they are pivotable on the support frame 1, around a driven pivot axis D, fixed in relation to the support frame 1, which is oriented parallel to the rotational axes R of the material rolls 2, 3, 4. The support arms 6 each project radially from the pivot axis D, so that they enclose an angle of 120° to one another in each case in the embodiment of FIG. 1. Those support arms 6 which are located on the same side of the material rolls 2, 3, 4 are preferably implemented as a modular unit, which is mounted so it is pivotable around the pivot axis D. As is obvious in FIG. 1, for example, a roll star is thus typically formed, through whose center the pivot axis D runs parallel to the particular rotational axes R of the material rolls 2, 3, 4, and on whose ends facing away from the pivot axis D the material rolls 2, 3, 4 are held. The support arms 6 of a roll star may also be implemented as pivotable in relation to one another, for example, to make lateral insertion of a new material roll 19 easier, as will be explained in greater detail below.

Furthermore, a cantilever 7 projects from each of the support arms 6, a pre-tensioning unit 8 being held between the cantilevers 7 of the support arms 6 of a pair of support arms 6 to receive the free end 5 of the material roll 2, 3, 4 held by the relevant pair of support arms 6. The pre-tensioning unit 8 is used in particular to bring the free end 5 of the material web located on a material roll 2, 3, 4 into a defined position, to make it able to be fed more easily and in particular in a way which is more automatable to the downstream plant sections of the web-processing machine. The pre-tensioning unit 8 will be discussed in greater detail below. The cantilever 7 of a support arm 6 may also be implemented as pivotable in relation to the support arms 6.

By situating multiple material rolls 2, 3, 4 pivotable around a shared pivot axis D in a support frame 1, it is possible in particular, as already noted, to replace one material roll 2, 3, 4 of the roll changer while the web-processing machine is served from another material roll 2, 3, 4. FIG. 1 shows, for example, a roll changer in a first pivot position having three material rolls 2, 3, 4, the left material roll 2 being located in an unwinding area, in which the material web is fed to the web-processing machine from the affected material roll 2. The lowermost material roll 3 is located in a charging area, in which the affected material roll 3 is replaceable by a new material roll, if required. The third material roll 4 is located in a reserve position.

The charging position is defined in relation to FIG. 1 by the material roll 3 whose rotational axis R is located in this position below the rotational axes R of the other material rolls 2, 4 in each case. The charging of the roll carrier with a new material roll may thus be performed as close as possible to the floor, which is entirely advantageous for the typically large weight of new material rolls 2, 3, 4.

For easier charging of the roll changer with new material rolls 2, 3, 4, in addition, the support frame 1 may have an opening 14 in the charging area, through which a new material roll is insertable in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1, i.e., in the direction of the rotational axis R of the material roll 3 located in the charging area, if necessary. This type of charging also reduces the space required for the roll changer according to the present invention, because in this way the new material roll is insertable laterally into the support frame 1, and therefore a large clearance does not have to be provided on the side of the roll changer facing away from the web-processing machine.

The roll changer according to the present invention functions as follows. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the web-processing machine is initially served with web material from a material roll 2 which is located in the unwinding area of the roll carrier. Only the clamping device 9 of the web-processing machine is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As soon as the material roll 2 is nearly consumed, for example, the web material may be cut through by a cutting unit, which is situated in proximity to the clamping device 9, for example, so that a residual part remains on the material roll 2.

By pivoting the material rolls 2, 3, 4 120° counterclockwise around the pivot axis D, the material roll 2 is transferred from the unwinding area into the charging area, the material roll 3 is transferred from the charging area into a reserve position, and the material roll 4 is transferred from the reserve position into the unwinding area. FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show an intermediate position of this pivot movement, in which the consumed material roll 2 has already left the unwinding area, for example, but has not yet reached the charging area. The pivoting of the support arms 6 may be performed with the aid of an electric motor unit (not shown in FIGS. 1 through 12), for example, which is operated via a corresponding control unit. A required replacement may be recognized, for example, by visual inspection, automatically by appropriate sensors, or also time-controlled in consideration of the processing speed of the unwound material web. Upon recognition of a required replacement, with automated detection, a corresponding signal may be produced for activating the cutting unit for cutting off the residual part, and for activating the electric motor unit for rotating the support arms 6 by 120 °.

FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 show the end of this pivot movement by 120°, upon which the material roll 2 has reached the charging area of the roll carrier. The material roll 4 is located in the unwinding area, and the material roll 3 is located in a reserve position, in which no processing of the web material located on the material roll 3 is performed. The roll star assumes a second pivot position, in which the consumed material roll 2 may be removed. For this purpose, the material roll 2 is removed from the support arm 6 and ejected laterally from the roll changer through the opening 14. To make the ejection easier and to be able to build the roll changer smaller, the cantilever 7 may optionally also be implemented as pivotable in relation to the support arm 6, or also the support arm 6 may be implemented as pivotable, for example, in that previously a fixing device, such as a fixing screw, has been loosened. After the removal of the consumed material roll 2, the roll changer according to the present invention thus displays the picture shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8.

A new material roll 19 may now be inserted laterally into the charging area of the roll changer through the recess 14 and installed between the support arms 6. After the new material roll 19 is installed, the picture of the roll changer shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 is thus provided.

The free end 5 of the material web of the material roll 4 which is not located in the unwinding area of the roll changer may be bonded via the pre-tensioning unit 8 and the clamping unit 9 to the outgoing end 12 of the preceding material web. One possibility for this purpose is indicated in FIG. 11. FIG. 11 shows a detail view of the pre-tensioning unit 8 and a part of the downstream intake device 9. The pre-tensioning unit 8 has a deflection strip 11, as well as pneumatic cylinders 15, using which an angle bracket 17 is vertically adjustable in relation to FIG. 11. The insertion of the free end 5 into the pre-tensioning unit 8 may thus be made easier. The outermost end 5 a of the free end projects somewhat beyond the angle bracket 17. The intake device 9 also has a deflection strip 10 and pneumatic cylinders 16, using which the intake device 9 is vertically adjustable. Moreover, it has a welding unit having a welding stop 13, which is horizontally displaceable. The end 12 of the outgoing material web is still located in the intake device 9, the outermost end 12 a hanging downward because of gravity, or being forced downward by the vertical section of the angle bracket 17.

In the course of a pivot movement of the support arms 6 (not visible in FIG. 11), the pre-tensioning unit 8 moves on an orbit shaped like a circular arc around the pivot axis D and finally advances in front of the intake device 9 from above in relation to FIG. 11. The outermost end 5 a is folded upward by the deflection strip 10 situated on the intake device 9, and pulled through between the deflection strip 10 and the screen 11 situated on the pre-tensioning unit 8, the vertical section of the angle bracket 17 guiding the outermost end 12 a during this vertical movement. At a standstill of the pre-tensioning unit 8 in the second pivot position, the outermost end Sa, which is folded upward, is held in the vertical position by the screen 11 and a further screen 24 situated on the intake device 9. In this position, the outermost end 12 a of the outgoing material web and the outermost end 5 a of the new material web lie one over the other. In this position, the welding strip 13 may now be moved horizontally until it presses the two outermost ends 5 a and 12 a solidly against the vertical section of the screen 11 and then welds them to one another. The pre-tensioning unit 8 and/or the support arms 6 may then be raised again, until the outgoing material web 12 and the free end 5 of the new material web are located in approximately the same plane.

Of course, other types of bond production between outgoing end 12 and incoming end 5 are also conceivable, for example, by gluing or clamping or also using special cutting before the bond production. It is only essential that the bond is capable of transmitting the traction exerted by the web-processing machine to the incoming end 5 of the new material roll 4, so that the new material roll 4 is set into motion. If necessary, however, rotation motors may also be situated on the support arms 6, which set the material rolls 2, 3, 4 into appropriate rotation in the unwinding area, to support the unwinding of the material web in this way.

FIG. 12 shows a perspective illustration of a further embodiment of a roll changer according to the present invention. A roll rod 18 is held between each pair of support arms 6, on which two material rolls 3, 3′, 4, 4′ are situated in each case. A separate pre-tensioning unit 8, 8′ is provided for each of the material rolls 3, 3′, 4, 4′. The configuration of the roll changer of FIG. 12 otherwise corresponds to that of FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, according to which the material rolls 2, 2′ have been consumed and removed. The embodiment of the roll changer is otherwise similar to the above statements.

Of course, more than three pairs of support arms 6 may also be provided, for example, four or even more pairs. With four pairs of support arms 6, a configuration of the four material rolls would suggest itself, for example, in which the neighboring support arms 6 each enclose an angle of 90°. The movement path of a pivot movement as described above would thus not be 120°, but rather only 90°, by which the movement path would be reduced.

A further embodiment of a roll changer according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 13 through 16, the charging area being implemented in such a way that a new material roll 19 is insertable perpendicularly to the rotational axis R of the material roll located in the charging area.

For example, FIG. 13 shows a roll changer in a first pivot position having three material rolls 2, 3, 4, the right material roll 2 being located in an unwinding area, in which the material web is fed to the web-processing machine from the affected material roll 2. The left material roll 3 is located in a charging area in which the affected material roll 3 is replaceable by a new material roll 19 (not shown in FIG. 13) if necessary. The third material roll 4 is located in a reserve position.

A roll drive 23 may optionally be provided in the unwinding area, which sets the material roll 2 located in the unwinding area into rotation, or also brakes it. For example, it is used to support the unwinding of the material web from the material roll 2, so that the traction required for this purpose does not have to be applied exclusively by the downstream web-processing machine. If the material roll 2 is consumed and must be moved into the charging area, in contrast, it is advantageous to first stop it after the outgoing material web is cut off. If the roll drive 23 has a belt applied to the material roll 2 for this purpose, as shown in FIGS. 13 through 16, it is additionally implemented as pivotable, so that it may be adapted to different diameters of the material roll 2 (see FIG. 14). Pivotability is also required in this case so as not to obstruct the pivot movement of the support arms 6 (see FIG. 15).

For easier charging of the roll changer with new material rolls, in addition, the roll changer may be equipped in the charging area with a lift unit 20, by which a new material roll is insertable in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 13, i.e., perpendicularly to the rotational axis R of the material roll 3 located in the charging area, if necessary. The lift unit 20 may be implemented differently, for example, in FIGS. 13 through 16 it has two lift arms 21 projecting horizontally from a pushrod, which are held so they are vertically movable along the pushrod. The lift arms 21 are preferably provided on the top side with an opening 25 in their ends facing away from the pushrod, in which the roll rod 18 of a material roll may be received.

By pivoting the material rolls 2, 3, 4 120° clockwise around the pivot axis D, the material roll 2 is transferred from the unwinding area into the charging area, the material roll 3 is transferred from the charging area into a reserve position, and the material roll 4 is transferred from the reserve position into the unwinding area. FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 show intermediate positions of this pivot movement, in which, for example, in FIG. 15, consumed material roll 2 has already left the unwinding area, but has not yet reached the charging area, and has entered the charging area in FIG. 16. The pivoting of the support arms 6 may be performed with the aid of an electric motor unit (not shown in FIG. 13 through 16), for example, which is operated via a corresponding control unit.

As shown in FIG. 16, the material roll 2 has reached the charging area of the roll carrier. The material roll 4 is located in the unwinding area, and the material roll 3 is located in a reserve position in which no processing is performed on the web material located on the material roll 3. The roll star now assumes a pivot position in which the consumed material roll 2 may be removed. For this purpose, the material roll 2 is detached from the support arms 6, in that it is ejected laterally out of the support arms 6 from the openings 26 of the support arms 6. To make it easier to eject and/or install material rolls, the support arms 6 may optionally be implemented as pivotable in relation to the other support arms 6, for example, by previously loosening a fixing device, such as a fixing screw.

A new material roll 19 (not shown in FIG. 16) may now be placed on the loading pallet 22. The lift arms 21 of the lift unit 20 may now be shifted vertically so that the openings 25 engage the roll rod 18, and the roll rod 18 comes to rest in the openings 25. The new material roll 19 is then lifted until it is laterally inserted into the openings 26 of the support arms 6 and may thus be installed between the support arms 6. After the new material roll 19 is installed, the picture of the roll changer shown in FIG. 13 is again provided.

With the aid of the roll changer according to the present invention, a sufficient stockpile of new material rolls 2, 3, 4 is thus provided in space-saving form, in which rapid replacement of consumed material rolls 2, 3, 4 is possible. Such a roll changer additionally has a simple design and is therefore to be produced cost-effectively. 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A roll changer for feeding a material web wound on a material roll into a web-processing machine having a support frame, in which at least three material rolls are mounted so they are rotatable, whose rotational axes are each oriented parallel to one another, and which are situated so they are pivotable around a shared pivot axis parallel to their rotational axes, in a first pivot position of the at least three material rolls, one material roll being located in an unwinding area, in which the material web may be fed from said material roll to the web-processing machine, and a pair of support arms being provided for the rotatable mounting of said at least three material rolls around its particular rotational axes, between which the particular material roll is mounted so it is rotatable, and which each project radially from the pivot axis parallel to the particular rotational axis, wherein a cantilever projects from each of the support arms, a pre-tensioning unit for receiving the free end of the material roll held by the affected pair of support arms being held between the cantilevers of the support arms of a pair of support arms.
 12. The roll changer according to claim 11, wherein a roll drive may be provided in the unwinding area, which sets the material roll located in the unwinding area into rotation, or brakes it.
 13. The roll changer according to claim 12, wherein the roll drive is a belt applied to the material roll
 14. The roll changer according to claim 11, wherein those support arms which are located on the same side of the material rolls are implemented as a modular unit, which is mounted so it is pivotable around the pivot axis parallel to the particular rotational axes of the material rolls.
 15. The roll changer according to claim 11, wherein three material rolls are provided, whose rotational axes define an equilateral triangle in their points of intersection with a plane perpendicular to the rotational axes. 